BUDGET-FRIENDLY ATTRACTIONS
Looking for budget-friendly attractions in Istanbul, Turkey? Well you’re in luck. It just so happens I know of 15 free things to do in Istanbul that I think you’ll like. Istanbul has much to offer the thrifty tourist which means you can enjoy the historic and unique city without breaking the bank.
Visit Sultanahmet Square the historical centre where many ancient tourist attractions are found. People meet and gather here, visit cafes and marvel at the grand monuments, namely Grand Mosque, Blue Mosque and Topkapi Palace, 3 of the biggest tourist attractions in the country. The architecture and history behind these structures is fascinating.
- The Blue Mosque (Sultan Ahmet Mosque) is free to enter, but not during prayer times. Make sure to cover up and remove shoes. Females must wear some form of hair covering inside. A scarf will be provided if you you don’t have anything.
- The Grand Mosque (Hagia Sofia Mosque) is not free to enter anymore. This famous monument used to be a Church and a museum.
- Topkapi Palace of the Ottoman era also requires payment of an entry fee.
Sultanahmet Square was the location of horse and chariot races, called the Hippodrome of Constantinople, during the Roman and Byzantine era, which is now marked by the paved walking area.
Aside from the mega monuments here, you will also see:
- Serpentine Column – 3 bronze snakes entwined, from Greece.
- Egyptian Obelisk – brought from Egypt.
- German fountain – a gift from Germany to the Ottoman Empire.
Sultanahmet Square is free to visit.
There are well over 3,000 mosques throughout the city, all different and imposing structures. Most are free to enter, but not during prayer times. Make sure to adhere to the customs before entering – cover exposed body parts, remove shoes, and ladies must wear a hat or scarf.
Mosques are not only places of worship, but architectural structures that exhibit art and craftsmanship.
A must-visit in Istanbul are the gardens. These beautifully landscaped and serene parklands are a welcome retreat from the hustle and bustle of the city, perfect for a picnic or a stroll. Some statues and monuments are located throughout the parks.
- Gülhane Park – fountains and ponds.
- Emirgan Park – lake, waterfall and bridge over water.
- Yildiz Park – lakes.
In April, the parks are a must-see, when the Istanbul Tulip Festival takes place. The festival is free to attend and features 120 different types of colourful blooms beautifully arranged throughout the city.
Parks and gardens are free.
Bazaars and markets are of course free to visit and wander around. These are the life of the city, where you can see all manner of goods displayed for sale throughout the meandering lanes. You must visit the,
- The Grand Bazaar, fondly named the world’s oldest mall, and
- The Egyptian Spice Bazaar.
The Strait divides the city of Istanbul, separating the European side from the Asian side of the city, sitting between two continents. This is truly amazing and one of the most mind blowing aspects about Istanbul.
Spend time walking along the Bosphorus taking in the sites from both sides, if you wish, for free. Many sites, including parks, boardwalks, mosques and piers are situated along the coast.
The Galata Bridge is a double decker bridge spanning the Golden Horn, where local fisherman fish all day long. Below there are food outlets where you can buy a freshly barbequed fish sandwich, a local treat.
It is of course, free to enjoy a stroll over the bridge and admire the lovely views.
See the ancient Galata Tower, built in the 1200s as part of the Genoese Colony of trade. During the Ottoman period the Galata Tower served as a jail, an observatory house, and watchtower. Now it is open to the public as a museum and for a birds’ eye view of Istanbul, however there is a fee if you wish to go up the tower.
The city of Istanbul has a hundred or more underground water cisterns that were built by the Romans as water storage facilities. Some are now open as tourist attractions and are very popular places to visit. I was fascinated by the eerie and subterranean world of the Basilica Cistern, the largest in the city, situated under Sultanahmet Square, but you do have to pay a fee to enter this one.
However, there is one underground cistern you can visit free. Underneath the Nakkaş store, which sells carpets and artefacts, is the Nakilbent Cistern. The shop owner is happy for you to visit the site below. This is a little hidden gem, literally and figuratively!
A richly ornamented Orthodox Church built in honour of the community of Bulgarian Christians in Istanbul, in the 1900s. Made of prefabricated cast iron, it was constructed in one and a half years and is all white and gold. Quite a unique and very intricate monument, and worth seeing up close.
Located in Balat, open everyday and entry to the church is free.
Rising over the traffic on busy Atatürk Boulevard is the Aqueduct of Valens, a very imposing monument of Roman origins built in 378 Common Era, by order of Emperor Valens. It linked to the many cisterns underground where water was stored then supplied to the palaces of the Byzantine and Ottoman eras. Remarkably, it continued to be used for 1400 years!
Spanning 920 meters long and 30 meters high, it is enormous and quite a showpiece, with cars passing through the arches.
Free to visit.
Istanbul’s newest Museum of contemporary art located in the Galataport complex, has free admission every Thursday.
Mostly modern Turkish artists are featured here with cafe, library and workshops over 5 levels. Make sure to visit the rooftop terrace for great views of the city.
Istanbul has quite a few beaches nearby, some of them are free. The ones with no entry fee are public beaches, not privately owned, so BYO chairs and beach accessories.
The free beaches to visit are:
- Florya on the city’s European side, coast of Sea of Marmara,
- Bakirkoy not far from Florya beach,
- Caddebostan on the Asian side, coast of Sea of Marmara,
- Poyrazköy, Asian side, near Black Sea, and
- Kilyos, European side, coast of Black Sea.
See the ancient walls of Constantinople, important landmarks of Istanbul’s history. They are military architecture built to defend the ancient city from invaders. Constructed in the 400s of the Common Era, a large portion of the walls are still in tact, repaired and restored over the years after having suffered natural disasters and war.
You may wish to follow the walls around the city for 22km, an epic walk to be sure, best done in stages. Whilst doing so you’ll learn a lot about the city from the walls, towers and gates. It is possible to walk on the walls in some parts, but very dangerous and I would advise against doing so.
Visit the walls for free.
A popular square for parades, New Years Eve celebrations and other events, people converge here as a social hub, similar to Sultanahmet Square. There are restaurants, shops and nightlife in the vicinity.
Taksim Square is the symbol of modern Turkey. Two important Turkish monuments to see here are the Monument to the Water Carrier and the Republic Monument
The square is free to visit.
The Pera Museum is an Art Museum in the Beyoğlu district housed in a building which was once the Hotel Bristol. Not to be confused with the Grand Pera department store building, or the Pera Palace Hotel.
Open everyday, except Mondays, this cultural hotspot showcases Turkish paintings from the Ottoman Era, ceramic art, Orientalist paintings and more.
Often temporary exhibitions are held here of famous international artists as well.
Entry is free for everyone Friday evenings after 6pm.
That covers my recommendations for free things to do in Istanbul. Make the most of the free sites to visit. Travel doesn’t have to be expensive.
Snazzy Trips
Save it for later
More on Istanbul
-
The Picturesque Town Of Rüdesheim am Rhein
A popular cruise stop on the Rhine River, in the... -
10 Interesting Sights In Budapest
MAJOR ATTRACTIONS AND SOME LESS TOURISTY PLACES These 10 interesting sights... -
Budapest Night Cruise On The Danube River
THE MOST AWESOME THING TO DO IN THE CITY A Budapest... -
The Fairytale Village Of Durnstein
THINGS TO ENJOY ON A DAY VISIT On our European river...
11 Comments
Eyyy you’re speaking to me with the free things to do in Istanbul!! I’m hoping to visit next year but…lol idk if my wallet will match my energy, so I need all the free attractions I can get! You’ll definitely catch me in the bazaars in Istanbul! Thanks for this great list!
Such a great summary. The mosques are such beautiful sights to behold. Thanks for compiling this list as the price of things in Turkey has gone up so much. Great to have some free/cheap options too.
I would love to visit Istanbul one day, especially the cisterns under the city.
This is a great list of free things to do. thank you fo sharing.
I might have to add Istanbul to my travel bucket list after reading this post. There are so many fabulous things to do there and what a beautiful place!
It is always fantastic to know about free things to do in different parts of the world! It helps so much when planning trips, so thank you for your post.
Such a great amount of history. I’d love to visit Istanbul. The list of places I would like to see is getting shorter, but it’s still pretty long.
We have been to Turkey quite a few times . Such a beautiful country
We went on a trip to Istanbul two years ago and loved it. Although it was a hot when we were there but the beauty of the city was definitely worth it. Can’t wait to go back there, soon I hope.
Great ideas for free things to do. Looking forward to visiting Istanbul soon.
I loooveee Istanbul!! I only spent 3 days there so I didn’t get to do all of these but I definitely want to go back. I’d love to see that aqueduct and visit one of the beaches!